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New Jersey Children's Aid and Family Services Workers Join CWA
Management tried hard to convince Children's Aid and Family Services workers not to form a union, but with employees of the non-profit agency working right next to represented state workers in Department of Youth and Family Services offices, its pleas went unheeded. Ninety paralegals, transportation aides and litigation aides at CAFS locations throughout New Jersey voted 48-31 to join CWA.
A strong workers' organizing committee and Local 1037 organizers, officers and volunteers pulled out all the stops to bring this one home.
"All our members should enjoy this hard-won victory and spread the word: CAFS workers - welcome to the CWA Local 1037 family," said local President Hetty Rosenstein, who with local Organizing Director Anne Luck-Soyak spearheaded the campaign.
"If there ever was a textbook way to do a campaign, Local 1037 did it," said Tim Dubnau, District 1 organizing coordinator. "Not only the organizers, but the entire local put themselves into this. And the DYFS workers obviously did a great job of carrying the union message."
A core group of CAFS permanency support workers, concerned they would not have a voice as DYFS goes through a court-ordered transition, became interested in organizing with the local through conversations with shop stewards in DYFS offices.
"I am situated at a DYFS office and can see all around me the advantage of being part of a union," said Kerry Gennance, a paralegal at the CAFS northern region office. "Why wouldn't I want the same?"
CWA and the state Department of Human Services reached a historic agreement in July, establishing a case load cap of 25 children per case worker, said Pauly Rodney, Local 1037 communications organizer. Before that, some workers were responsible for as many as 130. He said the CAFS workers want opportunities for advancement as new positions are created.
Four part-time Local 1037 organizers - Heidi Thomas, Lakicia Jenkins, Mary Jones and Kim Wright - visited the CAFS workers at eight DYFS offices to explain what CWA could offer, and 49 workers signed a public petition to join the union. And as the campaign wrapped up, the local's volunteers called numerous workers, urging them to vote Oct. 14, providing transportation for many.
With pay, benefits and job security already topping the list, a committee of the workers are now conducting a bargaining survey.
A strong workers' organizing committee and Local 1037 organizers, officers and volunteers pulled out all the stops to bring this one home.
"All our members should enjoy this hard-won victory and spread the word: CAFS workers - welcome to the CWA Local 1037 family," said local President Hetty Rosenstein, who with local Organizing Director Anne Luck-Soyak spearheaded the campaign.
"If there ever was a textbook way to do a campaign, Local 1037 did it," said Tim Dubnau, District 1 organizing coordinator. "Not only the organizers, but the entire local put themselves into this. And the DYFS workers obviously did a great job of carrying the union message."
A core group of CAFS permanency support workers, concerned they would not have a voice as DYFS goes through a court-ordered transition, became interested in organizing with the local through conversations with shop stewards in DYFS offices.
"I am situated at a DYFS office and can see all around me the advantage of being part of a union," said Kerry Gennance, a paralegal at the CAFS northern region office. "Why wouldn't I want the same?"
CWA and the state Department of Human Services reached a historic agreement in July, establishing a case load cap of 25 children per case worker, said Pauly Rodney, Local 1037 communications organizer. Before that, some workers were responsible for as many as 130. He said the CAFS workers want opportunities for advancement as new positions are created.
Four part-time Local 1037 organizers - Heidi Thomas, Lakicia Jenkins, Mary Jones and Kim Wright - visited the CAFS workers at eight DYFS offices to explain what CWA could offer, and 49 workers signed a public petition to join the union. And as the campaign wrapped up, the local's volunteers called numerous workers, urging them to vote Oct. 14, providing transportation for many.
With pay, benefits and job security already topping the list, a committee of the workers are now conducting a bargaining survey.